Improved apparatus for making vinegar



C. WESENER. I

Apparatus for Making Vinegar.

No. 50,525. Patented Oct. 17, 1865.

W/T/VESSES /N VE /V T01? MM QM Nv PETERS. Pnuxommmpmr. wnhinglon D. v:v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER WESENER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MAKING VINEGAR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 50,526, dated October17, 1865.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, the undersigned, CHRIS- TOPHER WESENER, of the cityof Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, in the State of Ohio, have inventedanew and useful Apparatus called the Self-Acting Acidilier,77 for makingvinegar from cider and other liquids possessing the necessary elementsfor producing vinegar, ot which the following is a full and exactdescription.

An oblong cask, described in the drawing accompanying thisspecification, (marked A,) is filled with close-curled shavings, D, madefrom beech or other non-resinous wood. The upper half ot' each head ofthe cask is pierced with six holes, C.

The acidifier, thus constructed, is placed in an equable temperature ot'750 or S0O Fahrenheit. Clearand somewhat hard cideris poured through thebung-hole B, until the cask is tilled to the air-line E. The shavings bycapillary action induce a slow and continuous circulation of the ciderinto the upper part of the aciditier, where it is exposed over thesurface ot' the shavings to the atmosphere, from which itabsorbs oxygenand gradually becomes acidied. The atmosphere is renewed in theaciditier by a current ot' air passing through holes C and B, andthrough the same apertures the impure air generated during the processof acidification obtains egress. After a period of from two to threeweeks, (more or less,) owing to temperature, atmosphericinfluA ences,&c., the cider is converted into good, strong, clear, vinegar,possessing in a more eminent degree the color, aroma, flavor, Ste., thanwhen made by the old and tedious process of slow fermentation,requiring` from two to three years to accomplish.

It may occur from adverse circumstances that the acidier may partially1cease to act. A good. remedy in such a case is to turn the aciditieronce in twenty-four hours, alternatelyto the right and left, as far overeach way as the bung-hole will permit without the escape of the liquid.While doing this all air-holes C must be closed by inserting a plug,except the upper one. Two or three gallons ot' the liquid may beWithdrawn, heated to S50 or 900 Fahren heit, and returned as a means torestore suspended acidification.

I do not claim beech shavings as originating with me, neither do Iconfine myself to their particular use, as many other substancesyielding surface and c.1pable of producing capillary motion in liquidsmay be substituted to produce the same principle of action essential toa self-acting aciditler.

I do not limit my claim lo any particular form or size of vessel used tocontain shavings or other substance, or apparatus used to produce thedesired effect, nor `to the position in which the aciditier may beplaced, whether perpendicular or horizontal.

Although this acidier was invented more particularly for making vinegarfrom cider, yet

it is equally adapted for converting into vinegar any other liquidpossessing the elements for producing vinegar, and I claim for it suchan extended use.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, as original and myinvention, is-

The manner ot' constructing a self-acting aciditier and its principleot' action by capillary attraction.

In testimony \vhereot' I, the said CHRISTO- PHERWESENER, heretosubscribe my name, in the presence ot' the Witnesses whose names arehereto subscribed, on the 1st day of September, A. D. 1865.

CHRISTOPHER WESENER.

Witnesses J AMES H. LAWS, C. F. HANsELM/IN.

